PATRIOTIC shoppers are spending £1billion a day as Boris Johnson urges Brits to save our high streets in the run-up to Christmas. Massive queues formed outside Primark at Lakeside shopping centre in Grays, Essex, through the night — despite icy 4C temperatures. Many punters told The Sun they were sick of online shopping and wanted […]
PATRIOTIC shoppers are spending £1billion a day as Boris Johnson urges Brits to save our high streets in the run-up to Christmas.
Massive queues formed outside Primark at Lakeside shopping centre in Grays, Essex, through the night — despite icy 4C temperatures.
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Many punters told The Sun they were sick of online shopping and wanted to feel the festive spirit.
In Sheffield, medical student Lucas Emmerson, 25, waited in the rain at Smyths to buy gifts for his niece.
He said: “The joy of going into a toy shop will never wear off.”
And in Manchester, student Daisy Wood, 19, said: “I’m sick of getting deliveries now.
“I think it’s important to keep supporting the shops 100 per cent — especially the smaller ones.”
The PM urged shoppers to have confidence in beating Covid and hinted at tax cuts to help businesses bounce back.
He added: “What is going to make a business boom in this country is confidence.”
Referring to his Chancellor’s pandemic bailouts, he went on: “An ounce of confidence is worth a ton of Rishi’s money.”
Last night Mr Johnson said in a message to Sun readers: “I’m delighted to see shoppers returning this week after what’s been an undoubtedly tough year for retailers.
“With Christmas fast approaching, I’m backing The Sun readers and encourage everyone to shop local.
“During this busy festive period we can all celebrate our local shops, support independent businesses and help protect jobs.”
In Gateshead, hundreds queued overnight outside the Metrocentre branch of Primark which opened for 24 hours straight.
But in Nottingham city centre gift shop manager Mica Dunbar, 25, said: “We have definitely noticed that it is much quieter than after the first lockdown ended.
“I think people were desperate to get out of the house then, but it seems different now. We really do need people to get back out there.
“We need help more than ever. I know it is cold and wet at the moment, but we’d definitely urge everyone to brave the weather and please come and see us.”
With Christmas fast approaching, I’m backing The Sun readers and encourage everyone to shop local.
Boris Johnson
In Bournemouth, Suzanne Swift, 68, was shopping with her sister.
She said she wanted to support jobs and preferred being able to browse in shops to the “lottery” of searching online.
She added: “We’ve been so looking forward to the end of lockdown so we could go shopping together. We’ve made a day of it.”
Hard-pressed pubs built outdoor heated gazebos to ensure they could get as many customers as possible after four long weeks of closure.
As darkness fell in the capital, drinkers tucked into their “substantial meal” al fresco, with long queues in Soho and in East London.
In Liverpool, which moved down to Tier 2, students enjoyed their new-found freedom.
And, in Cardiff and York too, some girls braved cold weather to dress up to the nines.
Meanwhile in Tier 3 Manchester the usually vibrant pub scene looked more like a ghost town.
Many workers will dash to shops tomorrow, the first non-working day since lockdown ended on Wednesday.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said he would be joining them.
He explained: “This week we changed the rules that limit how long shops can stay open.
“This means they’ll have more time to serve customers safely and shoppers have the freedom to shop on their own terms.
“I’ll be popping into some local shops on a high street in my constituency to hear how they’ll be making the most of the changes.
“But for a small business, what’s more important than cutting red tape is people through their doors and cash in their tills.
“So with Christmas just around the corner, help protect jobs by shopping local and backing small business.”
The sentiment was backed by Business Secretary Alok Sharma who said: “From popping into a family-run bakery for a mince pie, or buying a unique gift from an independent retailer, shopping local for 12 days of Christmas will be a big boost for high streets.
“Retailers have done a fantastic job to welcome shoppers back safely. Now let’s all do our bit and help Britain bounce back.”
Labour analysis of Office for National Statistics figures warned that nearly 400,000 small business are at risk of shutting in the next three months.
They estimate among those facing the chop are 44,810 hairdressers and beauty salons, 8,515 hotels, 5,420 butchers, nearly 1,000 toy shops, 2,455 greengrocers, 1,040 bookshops and 3,250 bakeries.
The Federation of Small Business national chairman Mike Cherry said: “The festive season is make or break for small high street businesses.
“After such a difficult year, we’re calling on all shoppers to get behind them in any way they can, be that safely in-person or online.”
Covid fears meant high street footfall was down slightly on a year ago, according to data experts Springboard.
But retail parks — where shops are bigger and more spaced out — remained on a par with 2019.
The importance of shopping locally was highlighted in a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Visa.
As an example, getting a Christmas tree from a local florist for £40 means £15.20 could stay in the local area, while buying children’s gifts from a high street toyshop for £50 means £19 could stay locally.
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